Splinters of a Broken Heart
by WrittenWhilstDreaming
Summary: When Quinn delivers Rachel a devastating blow, how will Rachel cope as her world crumbles around her feet?


I was sat on the sofa, with my legs comfortably tucked under me when Quinn walked through the living room door and looked at me with her familiar Hazel eyes. Not thinking anything of her presence, I casually leaned forward to reach my glass of wine that sat on the coffee table. Bringing the amber coloured liquid to my lips, I noticed Quinn was still looking at me, or more looking through me as though I wasn't there.

"Are you alright honey?" I asked as I placed my glass back on the table, letting my eyes trace every inch of her face. Not speaking she gracefully walked towards the sofa and sat opposite me.

Dropping her gaze and staring at her hands, I noticed Quinn take a deep breath. Leaning forward I instinctively took her one hand in my own and traced a small circle with my thumb over her porcelain skin, an action I had done countless times before. What I didn't expect though was to feel her body stiffen, and for her to pull her hand away. My heart immediately tightened.

"Quinn?" I asked out the hurt evident in my tone.

Finally lifting her head, she focused her eyes on my own. Her eyes were glazed; the spark that always shone so brightly was gone. Edging my body closer to that of my wife's, I felt the first wave of panic ripple through my being.

"_I can't do this any more"_

At first I wasn't sure she had spoke, the word's left her mouth at less than a whisper, a sound so delicate it could easily have been carried away by the wind.

"Can't do what?" I replied as I tried to search her face for any sign of what this might be about.

She didn't reply instead I noticed her bite the inside of her a cheek, a habit she had developed whenever she was stressed or upset.

Feeling my stomach flip as it was obvious Quinn was upset, and I didn't know why, I tried once more to find out what this was all about.

"For god sake Quinn, What's the matter, what can't you do? I once more reached out for her hand, and felt it lightly shake in my own, this time she didn't pull away.

Seeing a single tear run down her cheek, my heart and stomach flipped as I squeezed her hand in my own. "Honey please".

"I can't do this" she repeated a bit louder. "I can't do... us. I... I don't love you anymore"

I'd always heard people say that your life could change within a second, but I was quite happy to believe that that would never happened to me... untill that very second it hadn't.

I didn't know what to say, what to do, I couldn't even function to breathe, my chest just froze mid inhale, as I felt my heart and world shatter into a million pieces around my feet.

How could she say that, hadn't she only told me that morning, before she left for work that she loved me? Confusion didn't cover it...

"What?" I managed to speak, just before the sound would have got caught in the back of my throat, a lump quickly grew there.

Feeling Quinn remove her hand from my own once more, I watched her rise from the sofa and walk over to the window, turning her back towards me.

Feeling a bolt of anger shoot from my core, _how could she say that to me_, I quickly jumped up from the sofa and walked over to her, my hand resting on her shoulder to spin her torso.

"Don't you dare ignore me, what do you mean you can't do us, you don't love me".

Seeing the tears fall freely down her face, it took all my strength not to take her in my arms, no matter how much I was hurting and in disbelief, nothing compared to the fact I hated seeing Quinn upset, and knowing that I was causing this heartache, was making it unbearable.

I'm sorry... I've felt like this for a while" she said as she furiously wiped the tears from her face.

"How...? You, you said you loved me this morning" I stammered as I tried to search my mind for any sign over the last few months that things had been off between us.

"I'm so sorry" she repeated before turning her head to look out of the window.

Feeling the first kick of reality seize my body, I was unable to control the sob that escaped from between my lips; a sound that mirrored something only made by a fatally wounded animal.

God dam it how could she do this to me! I love her, she's my best friend, my soul mate, how is it possible that she could make me feel so much pain. Letting my body fall back into the sofa that was behind me, I brought my knees up close to my chest and dropped my chin, Tears striking my cheeks and dripping off the edge of my chin.

"Is there someone else?" as the word's left my mouth they shocked me. Where had that come from, I hadn't been thinking that, but deep down my heart had to know, had to know if the women I loved with all my heart, was cheating on me.

"What! No, of course I'm not, you know I'd never do that to you" the hurt lacing every word Quinn spoke as she turned her blonde head to look at me.

"Well what do you expect me to think, you've just told me our marriage is over and you don't love me, I obviously don't know you as well as I thought I did, because the women I knew would never hurt me like this!.

"I'm sorry"

"Stop saying your fucking sorry!" I shouted as I stood up and stared at the women in front of me. "If you were sorry you wouldn't be doing this" Quinn didn't move, didn't speak she just locked her gaze with my own, as if she was trying to pass every feeling and emotion through the air towards me.

"Please honey; don't shout you'll wake Hollie"

Hollie. How the hell would I explain this to her? How could I walk up to her room and tell our five your old daughter, that mommy didn't want to be with us no more. Not only was Quinn choosing to break my heart, but she would do the same to our little girl. I don't think I had ever hated anyone as much as I did her at that very moment.

"How could you do this to Hollie?" venom dripping off every word as my eyes stared cold and hard at her. "Fine, hurt me, but she's your daughter for god sake, how can you just walk away from her!"

"I... I don't want... Please don't make this any harder than it already is for me!"

"What!" I shrilled; you want me to have sympathy for you! Well I'm sorry sweetheart I can't, you're the one that is choosing to destroy are family".

Watching Quinn walk towards me and place her hand on the top of my arm, I felt my body freeze as hers had earlier, her fingers felt like they were burning through the thin material of my top.

"I do love you, I always will, I'm just not in love with you"

"And that's supposed to make me feel better is it!" I spat sarcastically

Before I knew what was happening, Quinn's face was inching towards mine and she placed her mouth heavily on my own, forcing her tongue between my lips. Feeling my own tongue stroke against hers, I felt a familiar heat stir deep inside as my arms wrapped tight around her back, pulling her close to me. Never in all the years we had been together had she kissed me as furiously as she was at that very moment. Feeling Quinn push her body against mine, I was soon walking backwards, until I collided hard with the wall. Feeling a pain shut through my skull as my head hit the hard surface, I focused that pain into the kiss and thrashed my tongue hard against hers. I could feel my lips starting to tingle with the pressure of Quinn's mouth against my own, but wasn't prepared for the sharp sting that pierced my bottom lip, as Quinn grabbed it between her teeth. Hearing the deep moan that escaped my throat, she started to ease off and gently kissed me, slowly sliding her own tongue over mine, before she lightly sucked the small cut on my lower lip. Feeling the contact of her mouth on mine cease, I opened my eyes and found them staring into Quinn's beautiful Hazel pair.

"Please don't do this" I whispered "I love you" One last time Quinn leaned towards me and softly kissed my lips. Closing my eyes, and hoping this would never end, this last piece of contact that kept us linked together, I heard her whisper against me. "I know"

Feeling her once more pull away, I didn't open my eyes. I couldn't bear to watch her walk out of my life.

I stood up against that wall for what seemed like hours, but in reality would have been only seconds, before I heard the rattle of Quinn picking up her car keys. Feeling my feet move into motion I walked out into the hallway just as I saw her about to reach for the handle of the front door.

"Where are you going?" I asked, not wanting to know the answer, as the thought of her leaving ripped my heart apart.

"I don't know, I might go stay at mom and dad's for a while"

"Do they know, have you told them about this?"

"No I haven't, I haven't told anyone" she replied before turning and opening the door.

"Quinn" I couldn't stop the words living my mouth, a last desperate plea to try and save my marriage, my family and my heart.

She stood there for a few seconds, maybe deliberating if what she was doing was the right thing, I don't know, but soon she was walking out the door and towards her car. I stood rooted to the spot as I heard her car turn over, and then the squeal of the tyres as she sped off down the road.

Walking over to the front door which remained open, the cool breeze of the summer night blowing through the house, causing Goosebumps to spread across my skin, the tears once more slipped down my face as I clicked the door to. Turning my back on the outside world, I soon found myself sliding down the wood of the door and collapsing into a heap on the floor. My life a complete mess of shattered pieces around my feet.


End file.
